California State University, Bakersfield's School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering welcomed 500 students from 15 area high schools on Feb. 24 for its annual Engineering Day.
High school students were invited to the university to learn more about engineering in general, NSME's programs in the discipline and career paths they can pursue if they earn their degree in it.
“I’m so glad to see many of you are already inspired to become a future engineer,” Dr. Jane Dong, dean of NSME, told the students. “Kern County needs more local engineers. Engineers will help to build a better future economy for our communities.”
After Dr. Dong's welcome, Dr. Luis Cabrales Arriaga, chair of the Department of Physics & Engineering, gave a presentation on NSME's three engineering programs and what future students can expect from them.
The event also included a panel with CSUB engineering alumni, moderated by Dr. Andrea Medina, NSME's director of grants and outreach. Panelists shared how their experience at CSUB prepared them to work at Edwards Air Force Base, Rain for Rent and other regional employers.
Asked why they chose to attend CSUB for their engineering education, the panelists agreed that affordability and proximity to family were big reasons but that the programs also compared favorably to those in bigger universities.
“The fact that we’re ABET-accredited is huge,” said alumna Sandra Peters, referring to the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. “A lot of places won’t hire you if your engineering program is not accredited. To have that locally is really top-notch.”
Alfredo Arevalo, who works with Peters and fellow panelist Grace Roman at Edwards Air Force Base, agreed that attending CSUB was the perfect choice for him.
“It’s close to home, (and) I left CSUB with no debt,” he said. “The program once I got here was great. It was hard, but all the classes I took here all help me out to this day with everything I do at work."